10.14.2007
A1 visits the Czech Republic for the first time in October 2006, for the first A1GP Brno, Czech Republic. The race will take place around the Automotodrom Brno, which will be known to bike fans all over the world.
Most motorcycle riders count Brno as one of their favourite circuits and it will surely prove popular with the A1 drivers. The circuit’s mixture of undulations and corners makes it interesting to drive and the numerous twists and turns means overtaking is common. The combination of the overtaking abilities of the A1 race car, an exciting track with fast corners and long straights, together with the changing weather conditions in Brno, mean fans can expect an exciting race.
Away from the race track, the historic city of Prague is the primary tourist attraction in the Czech Republic. However, the Austrian capital Vienna, is actually closer to Brno, and many race fans chose to visit Austria as part of their trip to the race circuit.
COUNTRY INFORMATION
After World War I, the Czechs and Slovaks who had previously made up the Austro-Hungarian empire, merged to form Czechoslovakia. After invasion by the Nazis during World War II, Czechoslovakia was re-established with its pre-1938 borders, apart from Ruthenia (Carpatho – Ukraine) which became part of the USSR.
Fearing that the reform in Czechoslovakia would spread into its own countries, the USSR invaded on 21 August 1968. In the period that followed, all modernisation was reversed, in a period known as ‘normalization’ and 20 years of political stagnation.
With the fall of the Berlin Wall came the ‘Velvet Revolution’ so called because not one person died in the process. The Czechs separated from Slovakia in 1993, which had become a very distinct nation, with a different economic background. The Czech Republic began to flourish after the fall of Communism, joining NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004 earning a place for itself among the advanced European countries.
LOCAL INFORMATION
Time zone: GMT + 2
Airport: Brno, Vienna, Prague
Currency: Czech Crown (Ceska Koruna)
Average October temperature: 48.4F
Average October rainfall: 1.2 inches
CIRCUIT INFORMATION
Location : Situated near Kyvalka, 16km from downtown Brno and 2km from the D1 highway to Prague.
Track length : 5.41 km / 3.36 miles
No. turns : 14
No. laps : TBC
Direction : Clockwise
Lap record :1.52.271, recorded by Jean Gounon in a Ferrari 333 SP in 2001.
Address : Autodromo Brno Inc, Masaryk circui, PO Bix 1, 64100 Brno
CIRCUIT HISTORY
The Brno Circuit as it stands today, actually replaces a much older circuit which first hosted an official race in the 1930s.
A few significant changes to the track were made when race meetings resumed after the Second World War, including a shortening of the track and a change of direction. Motorcycle racing, which was to prove such a large part of the circuit’s culture, began in 1950. The circuit also held Formula Junior and Formula 3 races in this period, with future Formula One starts such as Rindt and Lauda racing on the track. The last race on the old circuit took place in 1986.
A brand new chapter began at the circuit when a new track was built, just 10km from the old pits. The new track, with fast corners and long straights, may present ideal overtaking opportunities for the A1 race cars, and that of course means more exciting racing.
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